Restricted Magic - Arc 2: The Competition

Chapter 12

Olivia went flying back, landing on her butt with a loud "Oomph!" She looked up at her attacker, her eyes angry, and instinctively covered her aching cheek with a hand.

"What the he...!"

Her hand was gripped firmly and pressed against her face.

"Heal." It was a just a whisper.

"Wha-" Olivia wanted to retort, but she realized that the hands against her own were shaking badly. Startled, she looked up into Erin's face, only to see it twisted into a look of utter agony. Biting her lip, tears silently falling from her eyes, she continued to stare at Olivia with eyes that had seen too much and suffered from it all. Her trembling hands continued to press Olivia's own against her bruised cheek.

"Heal!" It was louder this time, the pain more evident in it. Olivia let her magic flow, soothing her aching face. She stared up at Erin, unable to look away as words seemed to flow quickly from her.

"You idiot. You stupid, ridiculous idiot! Why would you avoid me? Why would you run away? Did you think ignoring me would change what happened? Did you think it would make it so you never hurt me?"

Erin was sobbing now, her words barely intelligible. "OF COURSE IT HURTS!!" She sat on the ground covering her eyes with her hands. "It hurts that you lied to me, that you betrayed me. You tried to kill me! Everyone I've ever met has been either hurt or killed, or has tried to hurt or kill me. I thought... I thought you were the only person I could trust."

"..." Olivia was crying too, unable to answer.

"I decided to forgive you, anyways! And I ignored the pain in my heart. I ignored the nightmares I have... I dream about you stabbing me. I dream about Gerald leaving me to die. I can't hide from the fear I have, which is one day everyone I love will turn against me."

Erin slammed her fists against the stone ground, the causing a deep crack in the earth beneath her. The skin of her fists split, blood staining the ground as she slammed them over and over again. "IT HURTS! It hurts that I can't fully trust you! Your brother is creepy! He makes me uncomfortable! But you NEVER SAY ANYTHING! You know! YOU KNOW WHY I HATE WHEN PEOPLE I DON'T TRUST TOUCH ME!" Erin looked up, her eyes red and miserable.

"And still you said nothing. And I didn't either. Because Frederick was right: I was afraid that you would stop being my friend. But what was the point if you're going to ignore me either way? Why did I let myself suffer, if you were going to leave me anyways? WHY DID-"

Erin stopped, her words choked off as Olivia threw herself forward, hugging Erin tightly and knocking her back.

"I'M SORRY!"

"Olivia – can't – "

"I was so scared that you hated me! I was so relieved back then when you forgave me, then you helped my brother, and then we were just like normal friends again! But you never hit me, screamed or did ANYTHING; it was like it never happened. But it's been chewing me up inside, what I did to you..."

"O-Olivia..."

"And I'm sorry about my brother, he's weird, but he means well, I knew he was making you uncomfortable but he's never been so happy before and I just didn't know what to do..."

"OLIVIA!" Erin shouted, her face turning blue. "CAN'T BREATHE!"

Olivia realized she had been accidentally choking the other girl.

"Oops. Sorry!" They both sat side by side, staring at each other quietly for a moment, and then broke out laughing.

"We're really screwed up, aren't we?"